Means for suspending incandescent electric lights.



No. 659,702. Patented Oct. l6, I900.

T. SMITH. A

MEANS EUR SUSPENDING INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

Unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE SMITH, OF GEORGETOWN, ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR SUSPENDING INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,702, dated October16, 1900.

Application filed February 26, 1900' Serial No. 6,452. (No model.)

To all whom/ it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE SMITH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Georgetown, in the county of Vermilion and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means forSuspending Incandescent Electric Lights, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for suspendingincandescent electric lights, the purpose of the invention being toprovide a device whereby an incandescent lamp suspended from a ceilingor other support by means of the usual conducting-cord may be adjustedhorizontally or vertically, or both, so as to project its light in anydesired direction.

The invention is fully described and eX- plainedin this specificationand shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of a mechanism embodying my invention, means beingprovided for raising and lowering the lamp as well as to give it thehorizontal and vertical angular adjustment hereinbefore referred to.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central vertical section of the gripping-blockby means of which the lamp-support is secured at any desired height uponthe cord. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section showing details of thejoint for the angular adjustment of the lamp-socket. Fig. 4c is atransverse section through the line 4 at of Fig. 3, the view beingdownward; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified device notprovided with any means for raising and lowering the lamp with referenceto the cord.

In all of the forms illustrated the lampsocket A is secured by means ofa universal joint to the lower end of a rod B, which is approximatelyvertical when in use. The details of the universal joint may evidentlybe greatly varied, but one practical form is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4.,and 5. In the mechanism so shown the neck b of the lamp-socket isprovided with ears b b, separated by suitable space and includingbetween them the ears 0 c of a clasp O, encircling the lower end of therod B and turning freely thereon. A setscrew D passes through the earsI) b o c and is adapted to secure the necessary clamping friction topermit vertical angular ad ustment of the lamp and socket and at thesame time to hold it securely in any given position of adjustment. Theclasp 0 may fit closelyupon the lower end of the rod B, but shouldpreferably turn freely upon it in order that the lamp may convenientlybe adjusted horizontally. It is evident that. if the rod B be suspendedthe lamp may be adjusted in such a way as to point in any desireddirection, and if the lamp is provided with a. suitable reflector thelight may be correspondingly directed as may be desired.

The lamp is provided with the usual conducting-cord E, made up of twosuitable insulated intertwisted wires, the lower ends of which areconnected with the lamp in the ordinary manner. The upper end of the rodB is likewise connected with the cord, and the cord thus supports andsuspends the rod B and the lamp attached to itslower end. The connectionof the upper end of the rod with the conducting-cord may be effected inmany ways, two of which are'illustrated in the drawings, and especiallyin Figs. 1, 2, and 5. In the form shown in Fig. 5 the upper end of therod is passed between the two strands of the cord, and the body of thecord is then passed through an opening in the flattened upper end of therod, and this connection not only gives the rod a secure support fromthe cord, but likewise maintains a suitable amount of slack in the cordbetween theupper end of the rod and the point of attachment of .thewires to the lamp. This slack is desirable for the reason that itobviates any tendency of the torsional strength of the cord to vary thehorizontal position of the lamp with reference to the rod. In otherwords, the slack cord offers no resistance to the horizontal adjustmentof the lamp and has no tendency to swing it horizontally from anyposition to which it has been adjusted. I,

The construction shown in Fig. 5 evidently provides no means for thebodily upward or downward movement of the rod and lamp upon the cord orwith reference to it; but the cord above the rod may evidently bepractically lengthened or shortened by looping it in any of thewell-known or evident ways. The form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,however, comprises not only the rod, but a very simple means foradjusting the rod vertically upon the cord. In the device thusillustrated F is a block pivoted to the flattened up r end of the rod Band free to swing through a considerable vertical angle upon its pivot.The free end of the block is formed with an oblique opening f,preferably in the same vertical plane as the slot which receives theupper end of the rod B, and the cord E passes through this obliqueopening. It is evident that when the block has been adjusted to anydesired position upon the cord and the rod B, with the lamp at its lowerend, hangs freely, so that its weight is upon the block, the obliqueopening through which the cord passes bends the cord at quite a sharpangle, and I have found in practice that the block thus constructedforms a perfectly-secure connection suflicient to support the rod andlamp at any desired height and to prevent slipping'of the block upon thecord. In the use of the form thus illustrated or of any form in whichthe rod is provided at its upper end with a clamp or clasp adapted to beadjusted upon the cord it is desirable to maintain a certain amount ofslack in the cord between the upper and lower ends of the rod. Thismight be done by simply forming a knot in the cord immediately below theblock F, the length of the cord between the knot and the lamp beingsufiicient to insure the necessary slack; but I prefer to provide slackin the manner shown in the drawings namely, by passing the rod betweenthe strands of the cord at a suitable distancefrom the lower end thereofand then passing the cord through an eye G, attached to the rod near itsupper end.

It is evident that the lamp may swing horizontally to any desiredangular extent about the lower end of the rod B or may be limited as tothe extent of its horizontal swing, if this seems desirable. For thepurpose of so limiting it the lower end of the rod may be provided witha horizontal projecting pin P, and the lower end of the clasp C may beformed with a slot, the angular extent of which will determine the limitof swing of the lamp.

As I have said before, the details of construction of this device mayevidently be greatly varied, and I desire, therefore, not to limit theinvention to the specific details shown and described herein or in anyWay, except by the definition appearing in the following claims.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In anincandescent-lamp support, the combination with a rigid member providedwith means of attachment to and support by a flexible cord, of alamp-socket connected with said rigid member by means permittinghorizontal angular adjustment of the socket with reference to said rigidmember.

ment of the socket with reference to said rigid member.

3. In an incandescent-lamp support, the combination with a rod providedat its upper end with means for attachment to and support by a flexibleconducting-cord, of a lamp socket connected with the lower end of said.

rod by means permitting vertical and horizontal adjustment of the socketwith reference to said rod.

4. In an incandescent-lamp support, the combination with a rod, of alamp-socket connected with the lower end of the rod by means permittingvertical and horizontal angular adjustment of the socket with referenceto the rod, the upper end of the rod being provided with means forattaching it to and supporting it by a flexible conducting-cord, thelower end of which is connected with the lamp-socket, whereby slack isprovided in the cord, between its point of attachment to the socket andits point of attachment to the rod.

5. In an incandescent-lamp lsupport, the combination with a rod and a.lamp-socket connected with the lower end thereof by means of a universaljoint permitting vertical and horizontal angular adjustment of thesocket, of a block pivoted to the upper end of the rod and formed withan oblique opening adapted to permit the passage through it of the usualconducting and supporting cord, whereby, when the rod and lamp hangfreely, the block bends the conducting-cord in a short curve and therebyprevents the slipping of the block upon the cord.

6. The combination with a suspended flexible conducting-cord, of a rodpass ed between the strands of the cord and having its upper endconnected with the cord, and a lamp socket connected with the lowen endof the rod by means of a universal joint, whereby it has vertical andhorizontal angular adj ustment with reference thereto, th, lower end ofthe cord being connected with the lampsocket in the usual manner and thecord being slack between said socket and the upper end of the rod.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Chicago, in thecountyiof Cook and State of Illinois, this 20th day of February, A. D.1900.

THEODORE SMITH. Witnesses:

CHAS O. SHERVEY, S. BLISS. 1'

